The ryno isn't a good animal companion apparently

[Trandir]

Now I am considering a war rhynoceros, any advice? Also I am trying to "make a build" for the rhyno that is basically just it that charges every turn but with powerful charge to back it up, any advice for this too?
Well thanks for the help. I got it the flashraker is better than basically anything and I misinterpreted some spells.

[Rebel7284]

It takes "24 uninterrupted hours of prayer." to swap animal companions, so that is certainly something to keep in mind.
What does a charging rhinoceros accomplish that the Fleshraker does not?

[DwarvenWarCorgi]

Gonna agree with rebel, also add
Druid is one of the most powerful classes in the game, how is it a dumb choice?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Gonna agree with rebel, also add
Druid is one of the most powerful classes in the game, how is it a dumb choice?Well, it's a complex choice, one of the most complicated in the game due to the number of options. However, it's very forgiving, since most options (sans feat, skill, and base racial/ability score choices) can be revamped day-to-day, which does help a lot for a newbie.

[Segev]

Yeah, Fleshraker is actually a very GOOD choice for an animal companion. Charge, full attack, poison on each attack... why do you want to trade this for a rhino?

[Zombulian]

I'm quite new to d&d 3.5 and i am currently playing a druid (dumb choice i know).
I have decided to get some animal companions to keep in our base and to bring to the adventures if they are needed.
Right now I have a fleshraker that is usually the go to option and a hawk that serves as a turret to exploit share spells and get double the blasting power (I bring him if i suspect a lot of melee enemies and don't want the flashraker to risk too much).
Now I am considering a war rhynoceros, any advice? Also I am trying to "make a build" for the rhyno that is basically just it that charges every turn but with powerful charge to back it up, any advice for this too?

I know this thread is already doing a bad job of addressing the main question, but the hawk part of this post stuck with me a little. What do you mean turret? Doubled blasting power?

[JNAProductions]

What level are you at? And what kind of wealth do you have?

[Trandir]

What level are you at? And what kind of wealth do you have?
Level 11 and the master is rather generous, exept for the magic item the shops inventory is rolled every time and so is the treasure.




Gonna agree with rebel, also add
Druid is one of the most powerful classes in the game, how is it a dumb choice?
Dumb in the sense that I never played 3.5 and i got into a lot, a lot of stuff: all the monster summon stats, all the different wild shape form stats, the animal companion stats, the whole spell list and deciding the feats for a caster (me) and a "fighter" the flashraker.
It's rather overwelming.



I know this thread is already doing a bad job of addressing the main question, but the hawk part of this post stuck with me a little. What do you mean turret? Doubled blasting power?
Yes, the duid has some spells, like produce flame, that can be doubled with share spell and as a result you get double the damage burst with the same spell. Yes a fleshraker can do that just fine while I stay next to him or while i use it as a mount but the hawk seemed funnier.

And yes the flashraker is good even broken but i thought maybe the rhyno is better just for charging.
Anyway all this is not that usefull anymore, i discussed a little bit with the master and in this setting the animal companion is regarded as an integral part of the druid so i can't swap it with the ritual for "convinience" reasons. The only chase where I could do it is if my current one dies. The hawk was sort of a travelling companion and it never came out that swapping the two was a possibility so i never got this information.

Anyway thanks for your time.

[DwarvenWarCorgi]

Eh, I don't think it's dumb. Overwhelming I'm sure for a newbie. Best part is ability to adapt as another poster said.

Start here, or read it and keep it mind going forward. Being Everything: eggynack's Druid handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?439991-Being-Everything-Eggynack-s-Comprehensive-Druid-Handbook)

Shares spells doesn't let you cast spells through an animal companion. It lets you cast a spell on yourself and have it also effect your companion, and it only extends 5' without other feats so it doesn't jive with a hawk.

You also don't really get to choose feats for your animal companions (if your DM allows it good for you), and bonus hd from Druid animal companion progression doesn't grant feats either, and animals don't normally gain feats from increased hd either.

By level 11 I'd want either Rashemi elemental summoning, greenbound summoning or frozen wildshape depending on books in play, definitely Natural Spell (PHB); Extend Spell (PHB) is another great one for druids, lets you do all day buffs (better if you can get a metamagic Rod of Extend so you're not using higher spell slots).
If it's just core probably Spell focus conjuration and augment summoning to make your summons hit harder and have more hp. If it's core with a generous DM, multiattack from MM, only prerequisite is 3 natural attacks, and RAW as a Druid you are proficient with all natural attacks

[Trandir]

Shares spells doesn't let you cast spells through an animal companion. It lets you cast a spell on yourself and have it also effect your companion, and it only extends 5' without other feats so it doesn't jive with a hawk.

You also don't really get to choose feats for your animal companions (if your DM allows it good for you), and bonus hd from Druid animal companion progression doesn't grant feats either, and animals don't normally gain feats from increased hd either.

By level 11 I'd want either Rashemi elemental summoning, greenbound summoning or frozen wildshape depending on books in play, definitely Natural Spell (PHB); Extend Spell (PHB) is another great one for druids, lets you do all day buffs (better if you can get a metamagic Rod of Extend so you're not using higher spell slots).
If it's just core probably Spell focus conjuration and augment summoning to make your summons hit harder and have more hp. If it's core with a generous DM, multiattack from MM, only prerequisite is 3 natural attacks, and RAW as a Druid you are proficient with all natural attacks

Well the plan was for the hawk to stay on my shoulder/back while I do that so the 5 feet would be respected.
And all the monsters do in fact gain feats and bonus ability and bonus skill points. The manual says that the bonus HD advance the companion just as any other monster so it gets all those goodies.

[Segev]

Main reason I asked why you wanted to change to a rhino was to figure out what you want out of the rhino. In particular, what you’re not getting from the fleshraker. Question still stands, because I bet we can help you get what you want with the fleshraker even though you can’t switch.

Fleshrakers are devastating chargers, and the right spells and feats can make them even nastier.

[Trandir]

Oh right the first question. Truth be told I thought that the rhyno would have been a better charger. Just that but since i lack the experience to "build" it I asked here. But probably the flashraker can do that with the same if not better results.

[Segev]

Oh right the first question. Truth be told I thought that the rhyno would have been a better charger. Just that but since i lack the experience to "build" it I asked here. But probably the flashraker can do that with the same if not better results.

It is probable that you could get more single attack damage out of a well-built charging rhino's charge. But damage on a charge? No, I'm pretty sure the fleshraker is what you want, because Pounce means it can use all its attacks at the end of a charge.

The obvious first step towards optimizing your fleshraker is buff spells. Greater magic fang will add a nice enhancement bonus (I think you're at +2 at level 11, and will be at +3 by level 12) to all his to-hit and damage rolls. It also lasts for 11 hours per casting. I believe barkskin is also pretty good for buffing his AC. You'll want to check to see how much Resistance you can give him to his saves from spells; I think greater resistance is a 6th level spell, and that's a +6 to all of them. This will make him pretty tanky, between the AC from barkskin and the save bonuses.

Bull's strength will buff his to-hit and damage by +2 from the stat increase. His poison DC and hp both improve with bear's endurance. If you can afford it, though, you may just want to get him magic items that give bonuses to those stats; the duration on the buffs is short enough to be often something you don't have up and running when a random battle starts. 110 minutes isn't bad, but it's not fire-and-forget and can eat into your spell slots fast if you try to keep it up all the time.

Longstrider will increase its movement speed, making it able to charge further.

Consider polymorph. Even though you have Wild Shape, you can share polymorph with your fleshraker, and the two of you could turn into, say, eagles or hawks. Release the spell from your fleshraker when he dives down to charge something from the air, or when he is above something that's flying to avoid him, and let him bring it to the ground the hard way. Careful of falling damage with this tactic, however.

[Biggus]

The obvious first step towards optimizing your fleshraker is buff spells. Greater magic fang will add a nice enhancement bonus (I think you're at +2 at level 11, and will be at +3 by level 12) to all his to-hit and damage rolls. It also lasts for 11 hours per casting. I believe barkskin is also pretty good for buffing his AC. You'll want to check to see how much Resistance you can give him to his saves from spells; I think greater resistance is a 6th level spell, and that's a +6 to all of them. This will make him pretty tanky, between the AC from barkskin and the save bonuses.

Bull's strength will buff his to-hit and damage by +2 from the stat increase. His poison DC and hp both improve with bear's endurance. If you can afford it, though, you may just want to get him magic items that give bonuses to those stats; the duration on the buffs is short enough to be often something you don't have up and running when a random battle starts. 110 minutes isn't bad, but it's not fire-and-forget and can eat into your spell slots fast if you try to keep it up all the time.

Longstrider will increase its movement speed, making it able to charge further.


Superior Resistance is the 6th-level spell which gives +6 to saves, Greater Resistance is the 4th-level one which gives +3.

As well as these, there's Animal Growth, Girallon's Blessing, Bite of the Were-X series, and at high levels Aura of Vitality and Nature's Avatar. You can stack some pretty impressive bonuses on your animal companion if you're willing to spend the spell slots.

For the low-level buffs which are 10mins/level or 1hr/level (Barkskin, Girallon's Blessing, Greater Magic Fang) a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend Spell is very good value at 3,000GP, much better than using higher-level spell slots.

[Clementx]

Yes, the duid has some spells, like produce flame, that can be doubled with share spell and as a result you get double the damage burst with the same spell.

Produce flame is neither Personal range nor cast on yourself. Familiars and companions don't double your output.

[Trandir]

Produce flame is neither Personal range nor cast on yourself. Familiars and companions don't double your output.

True. It wouldn't work